Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 67 / Wednesday, April 8, 2015 / Notices 18935

requirements of section 4129 while FMCSA–2015–0057 and click ‘‘Search.’’ integral to the fuel tank, requiring tank continuing to ensure that operation of Next, click ‘‘Open Docket Folder’’ and replacement to repair the problem. The CMVs by drivers with ITDM will you will find all documents and petitioner alleged that stalling without achieve the requisite level of safety comments related to the proposed warning is an unreasonable risk to required of all exemptions granted rulemaking. motor vehicle safety and requests the under 49 U.S.C. 31136(e). Issued on: April 2, 2015. agency take action by opening a Section 4129(d) also directed FMCSA Larry W. Minor, Preliminary Evaluation fully evaluate to ensure that drivers of CMVs with the defect. ITDM are not held to a higher standard Associate Administrator for Policy. than other drivers, with the exception of [FR Doc. 2015–08053 Filed 4–7–15; 8:45 am] Engine Stall Defects BILLING CODE P limited operating, monitoring and The United States Code for Motor medical requirements that are deemed Vehicle Safety (Title 49, Chapter 301) medically necessary. DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION defines motor vehicle safety as ‘‘the The FMCSA concluded that all of the performance of a motor vehicle or motor operating, monitoring and medical National Highway Traffic Safety vehicle equipment in a way that requirements set out in the September 3, Administration protects the public against unreasonable 2003 notice, except as modified, were in risk of accidents occurring because of compliance with section 4129(d). Denial of Motor Vehicle Defect Petition, the design, construction, or performance Therefore, all of the requirements set DP14–002 of a motor vehicle, and against out in the September 3, 2003 notice, AGENCY: National Highway Traffic unreasonable risk of death or injury in except as modified by the notice in the an accident, and includes Federal Register on November 8, 2005 Safety Administration (NHTSA), Department of Transportation. nonoperational safety of a motor (70 FR 67777), remain in effect. vehicle.’’ NHTSA considers several ACTION: Denial of petition for a defect IV. Submitting Comments investigation. factors when assessing the safety risk posed by conditions that may result in You may submit your comments and SUMMARY engine stall while driving. These material online or by fax, mail, or hand : This document denies a July include the speeds at which stalling delivery, but please use only one of 7, 2014 petition from Mr. Brian Rosa of may occur, the ability of the driver to these means. FMCSA recommends that Union, NJ, requesting that the agency restart the vehicle, the warning available you include your name and a mailing open an investigation into an alleged to the driver prior to stalling, the effects address, an email address, or a phone defect resulting in engine stall without of engine stall on vehicle controllability, number in the body of your document warning after refueling in a model year when and where the stalling will occur so that FMCSA can contact you if there (MY) 2007 Dodge Grand Caravan and the effects of the condition on other are questions regarding your . The petitioner’s vehicle is a safety systems of the vehicle. In general, submission. RS platform minivan. The RS To submit your comment online, go to platform includes MY 2003 through conditions that result in engine stall http://www.regulations.gov and in the 2007 Dodge Grand Caravan, Dodge during low-speed operation at idle, such search box insert the docket number Caravan, Chrysler Town and Country as when slowing to a stop, and which FMCSA–2015–0057 and click the search and . NHTSA do not affect the operator’s ability to button. When the new screen appears, evaluated the petition by analyzing immediately restart the engine are click on the blue ‘‘Comment Now!’’ consumer complaints submitted to the considered the least hazardous types of button on the right hand side of the Agency, analyzing field data and stalling problems and, absent other page. On the new page, enter reviewing technical information safety factors, are not considered to be information required including the provided by Chrysler in response to an unreasonable risks to safety. specific section of this document to information request letter from the Background (PE13–016) which each comment applies, and Agency, and testing an RS minivan that provide a reason for each suggestion or was the subject of a post-refuel engine On February 10, 2014, ODI closed an recommendation. If you submit your stall complaint to NHTSA. After investigation of an alleged defect in comments by mail or hand delivery, completing this evaluation, NHTSA has approximately 153,817 MY 2006 submit them in an unbound format, no concluded that further investigation of Chrysler 300, Dodge Charger and Dodge 1 the alleged defect in the subject vehicles larger than 8 ⁄2 by 11 inches, suitable for Magnum vehicles (LX cars) that may copying and electronic filing. If you is unlikely to result in a determination result in engine stall shortly after submit comments by mail and would that a safety-related defect exists. The refueling (PE13–016). In response to like to know that they reached the agency accordingly denies the petition. ODI’s information request for PE13–016, facility, please enclose a stamped, self- FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Chrysler identified a problem with the addressed postcard or envelope. Paul Simmons, Vehicle Control multifunction control valve (MFCV) fuel We will consider all comments and Division, Office of Defects Investigation, shutoff float integrated into 19-gallon material received during the comment NHTSA, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., fuel tanks in certain LX vehicles. period and may change this proposed Washington, DC 20590. Telephone: According to Chrysler, the float may rule based on your comments. FMCSA (202) 366–2315. swell after exposure to fuels with high may issue a final rule at any time after SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: ethanol content, which may cause the the close of the comment period. valve to stick. A float valve that is stuck Alleged Defect open during refueling, could result in V. Viewing Comments and Documents The petitioner alleges that his MY fuel tank overfill and allow raw fuel to To view comments, as well as any 2007 Dodge Grand Caravan vehicle enter the purge line. This could result documents mentioned in this preamble, experienced multiple incidents of in problems with engine driveability To submit your comment online, go to engine stall without warning after (e.g., stumble or hesitation) or stall http://www.regulations.gov and in the refueling. The petitioner discovered that while driving in the brief period search box insert the docket number the defective part is a valve that is immediately after filling the fuel tank.

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ODI’s analysis of complaints related threshold is reached and shuts the fuel resulting in an overall rate of 0.39 per to this condition determined that most nozzle off. incidents per thousand vehicles (IPTV). of the incidents of engine stall were ‘‘Once fuel has entered into in the vapor Similar to the LX Car analysis in PE13– occurring when the vehicles were recovery system, it can then be purged into the engine’s intake system in place of 016, the engine stalls were mostly stopped or travelling at low speeds and anticipated vapor within the first minute of occurring when the vehicle was stopped there were no reports of any difficulty starting the engine. The result of fuel rather or coasting to a stop at low speed. There restarting the engines after such than vapor entering in the engine intake were no allegations of difficulty incidents. No crashes or injuries were system will cause the engine to stumble or, restarting the engines immediately after identified in the subject vehicles, which when the vehicle is not in motion and/or the the stalls occurred. There were no engine at idle, a stall can occur. The had been in service for 7 to 8 years. The allegations of crash or injury. investigation was closed with no safety condition is often contained to a momentary engine stumble as the purge event is Differences in tank design, exhaust recall due to the low safety risk immediately turned off when a rich fuel associated with the alleged defect routing and purge strategy may condition is detected by the Powertrain influence the incident rate at which the condition. Control Module. MFCV float sticking condition occurs RS Minivan analysis ‘‘Chrysler believes there is no unreasonable risk to motor safety because an engine and/or the potential for engine stall or In response to ODI’s information stumble or rough idle will occur at a low other performance concerns. As a result, request letter for DP14–002, Chrysler driving speed, and while a stall is most likely ODI’s analysis examined incident rates indicated that the RS Minivans may to occur at an idle or stop. There have been over the full range of RS Minivan experience a condition with MFCV float no reported accidents or property damage in production to assess the effects of over 1.8 million vehicles. Additionally, when sticking similar to the one investigated a refuel valve does stick, there is sufficient changes in tank design and purge in the LX Cars in PE13–016: back pressure in the fuel system to shut off control logic. This analysis identified an ‘‘The failure mechanism is a result of a the fuel pump and limit the amount of the elevated incident rate for approximately swollen refueling float within the fuel into the purge line.’’ 208,000 MY 2004 and 2005 RS multifunction control valve. Studies have ODI’s analysis of complaints, field Minivans built during a seventh month proven that elevated ethanol additives cause reports, legal claims and warranty data period from September 2003 through the float and housing to swell, which, in March 2004, which exhibited a failure turn, causes the float to intermittently stick. related to the alleged defect in Chrysler Once stuck, a limited amount of fuel will RS Minivans identified a total of 720 rate similar to the LX Cars investigated pass beyond the refuel float and enter the post-refueling engine stall incidents in in PE13–016. Table 1 summarizes the vapor recovery system before the fill pressure approximately 1.8 million vehicles, field data for DP14–002 and PE13–016.

TABLE 1. SUMMARY OF NHTSA COMPLAINTS AND CHRYSLER COMPLAINTS, FIELD REPORTS AND LAWSUITS

Vehicle age Total re- Report rate Crashes/ NHTSA inv. No. Vehicles Build range Population (yrs) ports (IPTV) Injuries

PE13–016 ...... LX cars, 2006 ...... 4/05–7/06 153,817 7–8 299 1.94 0/0 DP14–002 ...... RS vans, 2003–04 ...... 7/02–8/03 425,544 11–12 34 0.08 0/0 RS vans, 2004–05 ...... 9/03–3/04 208,419 10–11 445 2.14 0/0 RS vans, 2005–07 ...... 4/04–5/07 1,221,370 7–10 241 0.20 0/0 Total RS, 2003–07 ...... 7/02–5/07 1,855,333 7–12 720 0.39 0/0

Subject Vehicle Test Results engine restart associated with any finding that a defect related to motor observed engine stalls. When refueling As part of its evaluation of this defect vehicle safety exists given the limited the vehicle up to the initial shut-off of petition, NHTSA’s Vehicle Research and conditions under which the subject the filling station pump nozzle, the Test Center (VRTC) conducted testing condition may result in engine stall, the VRTC testing was able to reproduce on a 2005 Chrysler Town & Country low failure rate in vehicles with stalling incidents when the vehicle was LMT (3.6L SFI, 20 gal. fuel tank) vehicle approximately 8 to 13 years in service stopped or coasting to a stop at low that was the subject of an ODI complaint and the absence of any reports of speed. The vehicle did not stall 4 out of (VOQ 10641603) that provided the crashes or injuries. Therefore, in view of 5 times when travelling at 5 mph, but following description of the problem: the need to allocate and prioritize minor hesitation was noted. No stalls NHTSA limited resources to best After fill up, vehicle stalls, the engine cuts and only minor hesitation were off and the vehicle loses all power and power accomplish the Agency’s safety mission, occurred when travelling at 10 mph or the petition is denied. This action does steering. This happened first on a cross above in tanks filled to the initial nozzle country trip and caused some serious safety not constitute a finding by NHTSA that shut-off. Stalling was more likely to concerns when attempting to exit the gas a safety-related defect does not exist. station and merge onto the highway. This occur if the tank was overfilled (i.e., adding fuel past the initial fill nozzle The Agency will take further action if problem has been occurring regularly from warranted by future circumstances. the first instance in 2011. When fueling, the shutoff). Testing after overfilling van is never over filled; we fill until the pump resulted in stalls in 4 of 5 tests at speeds Authority: 49 U.S.C. 30162(d); delegations clicks off. This seems to be a fairly common up to 10 mph. Regardless of fill of authority at CFR 1.50 and 501.8. problem in this generation of minivans as condition, the vehicle could always be represented in online forums trying to immediately restarted after each engine Frank S. Borris II, diagnose the problem. stall. Acting Associate Administrator for VRTC conducted tests on the Enforcement. Conclusion complaint vehicle to assess engine [FR Doc. 2015–08082 Filed 4–7–15; 8:45 am] performance after refueling, including In the Agency’s view, additional BILLING CODE 4910–59–P the driving conditions and ease of investigation is unlikely to result in a

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